


happily ever afters only exist in fairy tales

by codevassie



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Abusive Themes, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Attempted Murder, Guns, Imprisonment, M/M, Smoking, Snow White AU, Violence, let me know if i should tag anything!, like golzine tries to lock ash away in the castle but it doesn't work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2020-09-30 11:04:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20446106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/codevassie/pseuds/codevassie
Summary: Ash has always been the "fairest of the land", and King Dino has always liked owning nice things.Then, one day, the "fairest" is no longer Ash, but a normal, rather plain boy named Eiji Okumura. It is inevitable that the king should send after him, so Ash runs away with Eiji.Golzine wants Ash back, and Eiji dead. Ash wants to be free. Eiji wants somewhere he can finally belong.Everyone wants a Happily Ever After. Too bad they only exist in fairy tales...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [fanart](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/514157) by Tanaw. 

> I started this fic a few months ago, but got distracted by my fic 'Hey There, Eiji' before finishing it. So, now I'm back to it!
> 
> This was inspired by fanart I saw a while ago by tanaw, and it is gorgeous! I fell in love with it when I saw it. The link should be provided above!

There's usually a kingdom, a castle, a prince and a princess. An evil stepmother, magic, maybe a catchy tune or two. 

Usually, you can count on a Once Upon a Time…

And so, there  _ was _ a kingdom and a castle, and a prince locked away in a tower. However, it took a lot more than a tower to keep Ash Lynx imprisoned.

“I'm not sure what you find so funny,” the king inquired of him, lounged back on his throne and glaring at the prince, who was smirking up at him.

“Who said I found anything funny?” Ash asked, a poor attempt at innocence, given that he didn't even bother to drop the smirk. Golzine frowned, stamping out his cigar in the tray on the arm rest beside him.

“The security on your wing will be increased tenfold after today,” Golzine imposed, sitting further up in some sort of power play. Ash raised an eyebrow, unimpressed, but stayed silent. “Take him back to his rooms,” he waved to the guards. 

Ash stood up before they could get to him, walking toward the door with a confident swagger. He threw one last look over his shoulder in the threshold, then exited without a word. Alone in the hall, Golzine rubbed at his eyes.

He then went to stand, making his way across the room and into another chamber. This had been going on for too long. Golzine wasn't sure how it kept happening; how Ash duped all those guards.

Ash was his to control, his most prized possession. He had groomed him. He had made him into the most fearful, intelligent creature in the kingdom, destined to take over his powerful reign.

Dino had acquired the fairest one in the land, and nothing would get in his way of keeping him.

But the fairest one in the land did try his patience. It was times like these that Golzine had to remind himself why it was all worth it; why he put up with Ash's foul mouth and inability to stay in the castle.

Coming to a stop at the opposite end of the room, opulent and garish, but far smaller than the receiving hall, Golzine reached up to the sheet which covered his second most valuable possession.

“Afternoon, my mirror,” he greeted it, as it shined awake from its stupor. Blue and green light reflected from its surface, signifying it was, indeed, activated. “Show me the fairest in my land.”

Immediately, the reflections began to change, the blues and greens rippling, becoming brighter and changing. Golzine stepped back, pleased, and waited for his image, his solace to the tiding fury rising in him. The Ash which had stood before him, threatened to never leaving the castle again, was not his. He was a rebellious thing, which did not hold respect for the king nor the kingdom he had built.

In the mirror, Ash was his. His. Only his.

Golzine owned the visions in the mirror, and he owned Ash. Whether the boy accepted it or not, one day, he would learn.

But, as the reflection changed, it showed greens and browns and small pinks in the distance. It showed life outside the castle, bustling people in the square, and the fields not far off. It showed high bricked walls and, there, focusing in on a boy who was not his. Who was not Ash.

The boy, raven-haired and eyes wide, taking in everything around him, stepped closer, hand gripping a leather bag slung over his shoulder. He was smiling, basking in the sunlight in commoner's wear.

He was simple, and plain, and he was not what he had asked his mirror for.

“Mirror, show me the fairest in my land,” Golzine commanded once more, growing more irritated. The mirror rippled, but, again, it showed the boy. Golzine stepped closer, fire in his eyes. “Mirror, show me the fairest of the land.”

The boy, the boy every time.

“Who are you?” he asked, leaning in. The boy turned to a man beside him and seemed to ask a question. Golzine's fists grew tighter and he went to a table beside the couch, opening it to pick out another cigar. He nearly crushed it lighting it.

He looked back to the mirror, taking a drag. He narrowed his eyes as the boy laughed at something one of the stallers says.

“Whoever you are,” he decided, tapping ash away from the cigar, “You will not be the fairest for long.”

-/-

It did not take long for Ash to get out again, and he did so immediately, after being chucked back into his room, just to spite Golzine. Fuck him. He can't keep Ash held hostage for long.

Ash would not let the bastard control him.

He walked down the street now, taking his dear time just to stretch his legs and take in the scene. Shorter could probably be found around the tavern, not particularly for drinking this early, but to meet with his boys. Ash would head there, and maybe bump into some of his own boys along the way.

When he passed the square, he smelled pastries and potions and strange foreign spices. Then he heard a yell, noticed the crowd scrambling and swelling in anxiety. Something seemed to be going on close to the center.

Ash frowned, but made his way closer. When he noticed wild blond hair, unmistakable over the crowd, Ash sighed. “Goddamnit,” he cursed, then pushed his way through.

There was a splat as something fell to the ground- was thrown to the ground by the looks of it. The knight glared down someone, gesturing to some sort of paste from one of the stalls he had just pitched to the curb. “Pick it up, fucker.”

Ash’s temper flared.  _ What the fuck? _

“How do I pick up something like that?” a voice replied, sounding irritated, only a bit of fear to be heard. “It is not solid.”

“I didn’t say you could ask questions,” Arthur snarled.

“And I did not sign up to be bullied in the street, sir,” the other voice replied. Ash approached, noticing the guy Arthur was talking to. Short. A fire in his dark eyes. Ash stalked up, cutting between the two, blocking the guy from Arthur’s wrath. Instead, Arthur received his.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Ash growled. Arthur’s eyes widened, taken aback by the prince's sudden appearance. He covered it quickly, crossing his arms, and stepping back subtly from Ash to glare him down.

“Teaching this punk a lesson,” he replied coolly, not even sparing a glance for the guy behind Ash.

“Really? Looks like you’re terrorizing some random street goer to me.”

“Are you supposed to be out of the palace,” Arthur then asked, challengingly, “Your highness?”

“I can do as I please,” Ash brushed this off with practiced ease, donning his guise of confidence and high ‘I do what I want’ royal attitude. Arthur, however, did not stand down.

“We’re under direct orders to bring you in if you’re seen outside the castle,” he said, looking quite happy with himself. Having this over Ash must have been like candy to him. He didn’t sound sorry at all when he said, “My apologies, your highness, but I’ll have to place you under arrest.”

Arthur lunged at him and Ash spun, grabbing the arm of the boy behind him and yelling, “Run!” Like that, they were taking off down the road, stamping feet behind him. More guys joined Arthur as they progressed, but Ash kept his eyes on his surroundings, making sure the boy with him didn’t fall behind. Surprisingly, Ash didn’t have to slow his pace at all for him.

Calling behind him, low enough that none of their followers heard, Ash instructed the other when sharp turns approached, and when to duck into dark corners, behind boxes, and even onto a roof. They were both slightly panting when they reached a deadend, cut off by a tall building, Ash scanning the area for something, anything they could use to hide or get over. Other than a couple sturdy-looking bamboo stalks and a broken crate in the corner, there was nothing.

“I have an idea,” the guy panted, running over to the corner of bamboo. Ash’s eyes widened. Was he planning on fighting the royal guard - who had swords - with sticks?

“We’ll never take all of them,” Ash shook his head, but the guy just shook his right back.

“It’s not for fighting. I am jumping,” he said, hacking a hole into the ground. Ash could now hear the pounding of an army of soldiers’ footsteps.

“It’ll break,” Ash said, bewildered, but the guy continued to line up, stepping back and sizing up the jump. Ash continued to watch, wide-eyed.

“Then I will die trying.”

Then, he began to run.

He ran, and he ran, and he reached his little divot in the dirt.

And he flew.

Ash’s breath caught as he watched, transfixed. His jade eyes came to life after years of a glazed marble sheen. The world became full of color, and that color shone brightest in the form of a boy he didn’t even know the name of.

Then, he heard a hard thump as the boy landed on the roof, and a loud groan. Ash winced in sympathy. His other senses coming back to him, Ash turned to see soldiers rounding the corner far off. They saw him and shouted.

“Hey!” a voice called, and Ash turned around. It was the boy, up on the roof. He was waving to him and reaching down. “Come on!”

Ash gaped at him. Was he… trying to help him?

“Hurry!”

And Ash almost ran to him, almost forgot everything to go with this mysterious stranger who had flown and achieved freedom like it was nothing. Ash wanted to be saved. Could this boy save him?

But Ash couldn’t. It was too late. The soldiers were too close now and they would only both be caught. He stepped back, shaking his head.

“Go! They’ll catch us both!” he called, causing a puzzled look to appear on the boy’s face. He didn’t move. “Ash shifted closer so he could hear him better. “They’ll think you’re an accomplice. Nothing will happen to me. I’m the prince.”

“But you ran away from them,” the boy said, confusion knitting his brows. “Do you want to go back?”

“No,” Ash laughed bitterly. “But they can’t ever hold me for long.”

The boy looked conflicted, still reaching out an arm, but, slowly, his fingers curled inward, and it retracted. Ash hated to see it go. His opportunity for freedom; this amazing, otherworldly boy. He heard the footsteps and knew the boy had to get away. Now.

“Go!” he called again. The boy stood.

“What is your name?” he asked, and it was so strange for Ash that, at first, he didn’t answer. Everyone around here knew him.

Then, “Ash Lynx,” he said, looking upward. The boy paused, looking down, then nodded.

“It was good to meet you, Ash Lynx,” he said, and, without another word, turned and ran away, looking as though he regretted it the whole way. Ash felt relieved. The boy wouldn’t be caught. He wouldn’t get pegged as one of Ash’s accomplices of getting out of the palace, around the city. He would be safe.

This nameless boy who Ash may never see again.

Ash sighed, still looking up at the roof and the bright blue sky, feeling stuck in the dark, dank alley; trapped. The footsteps came to a rest behind him.

“Alright then,” he sighed, turning toward the hoard of soldiers which blocked the alleyway behind him, “Take me back.”

-/-

Eiji was still trying to wrap his mind around what the hell he had gotten himself into by the time he had made it back to the motel he and Ibe were renting out. He was panting and huffing and puffing like a fish out of water, which was saying something, as he was actually quite athletic.

His heart still ached.

That boy, the prince, Ash Lynx, had defended him from that knight, and what had he done? Left him behind. Abandoned him. Eiji had run away.

Again.

It was why he was here, wasn’t it?

“Eiji, are you alright?” Ibe asked, walking over with a concerned look on his face. He always looked concerned, didn’t he? Eiji smiled, nodding his head and throwing two thumbs up. Ibe looked doubtful, and he led Eiji to the small table in their room. When he presented him a glass of water, Eiji gulped the whole thing down in one swallow.

Then he explained everything that happened after Ibe had left him to explore the market.

“The prince?” Ibe asked, looking incredulous. “I had heard he gets out of the castle frequently, but you met him?”

Eiji nodded, having caught his breath for the most part, but still feeling a bit winded, especially after having gone straight into the long explanation. “He helped me, but… I had to leave him.”

“That is quite… amazing, Eiji,” Ibe said, impressed.

Eiji had to agree. It was all pretty amazing; meeting the prince on his first day in the kingdom, running away from guards of the palace. Oh no- “Does this mean they will be looking for me?” he asked.

Ibe’s eyes widened. It seemed as though he had not thought of this until now either. “You will keep your head down. Okay, Eiji?” Ibe instructed. “This will blow over soon.”

All Eiji could do was nod and agree, suddenly overwhelmed with the knowledge. He would stay inside for a while, or wear a hood while in town. He could keep a low profile.

Ibe nodded, looking satisfied himself before standing up. “Good,” he said. “Now, to make dinner.”

“Okay,” Eiji agreed, and watched as Ibe disappeared into the adjoining room. He would follow, after just a moment. He needed a moment to calm himself, to come to terms with everything that had happened that day.

His thoughts went to the prince again. Ash Lynx. He felt disappointed that he would probably never see him again and sighed.

“Perhaps one of the soldiers will pick on me again and he will come to my rescue,” Eiji mused, before standing up and following Ibe into the kitchen.

-/-

Golzine did not call on Ash that night, which meant he was up to something.

And Ash, always looking for dirt on the sick old man, wanted to know what. It was that evening at dinner that his interest was truly piqued though.

He sat across from Golzine, trying to pretend to be anywhere else. Cutting into a roasted potato, wanting more and more to stab himself with the expensive silverware instead of eat with it, one of the attendants stepped forward, looking nervous to interrupt. It must have been important.

“Your guest has arrived, Papa Dino,” the boy said, swallowing as Golzine’s eyes fell to him. Ash felt a shiver go down his back for the boy.

“Guide him to his room. Give him what he desires. Tell him I shall meet him first thing in the morning,” Golzine responded, looking uninterested. Ash, however, narrowed his eyes. He knew better than to ask, though.

“Yes, sir,” the boy answered, then bolted away. Ash wished he could leave. Instead, when dinner had ended and Golzine had made a point to order guards to lead Ash to his room (still pissed off that Ash had escaped not once, but twice that day no doubt), Ash decided whatever guest was visiting now was worth inspecting. They did not receive guests often.

It was simple getting passed the guards. It’d be a lot easier to sneak back in since he wasn’t even leaving the castle, and, if they noticed he was gone, inside the castle would be the last place they’d look. For now, Ash had free reign. Well, as long as he stayed out of sight. Golzine kept guards everywhere.

It didn’t take long to find this guest, and, once he did, he was more surprised than he thought he’d be.

“Blanca?” he said, standing in the doorway of his old teacher’s room. Blanca looked up.

“Ash,” he greeted. “I thought you were being barricaded in your room this evening.”

Ash shrugged. “The bastard can’t keep me locked up.”

“That’s probably partially my fault,” Blanca said, grimacing slightly. Ash shrugged again.

“You taught me, so I guess that’s so,” Ash said, then grew serious. “What are you doing here?”

“Business,” Blanca answered, infuriatingly vague. Ash crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame. “You should know that.”

“Yeah, but what sort of business. He having you off someone?”

It was Blanca’s turn to shrug, and he looked even more unphased than Ash. The bastard. “I do not know yet. I meet with your father tomorrow about it.”

“Don’t call him that,” Ash growled and Blanca put up his hands in surrender.

“My apologies.” They were silent for a moment. Blanca took out a book. It was  _ Islands in the Sun _ again. “Did you ever read it?” Blanca asked.

Ash ignored him. “Are you meeting in Golzine’s office?”

“Are you thinking of listening in?”

“What if I am?” Ash challenged, sticking his chin in the air. He felt like a kid again, around Blanca. Some snot-nosed brat who wanted to prove himself, who had no skill or talent of his own but for being the ‘fairest in the land’, whatever that meant. Blanca boiled that defiant blood in him again, the spark that he had been losing before Blanca had taught him to defend himself from the sick bastards who came and went from the palace walls.

“Yes, the meeting will be in his office, as far as I know. It’ll be at day-break, though, and I know how you are with mornings,” Blanca teased. Ash rolled his eyes, pushing himself upright again, ready to go now that he had the information.

“You gonna tell on me?” Ash asked.

“I have nothing to tell.”

Ash nodded. At least Blanca didn’t give a shit about Golzine. He was there for business and business only. Ash didn’t think Blanca had any loyalties.

He certainly didn’t have a loyalty to him. Ash had thought, once upon a time, but Blanca had left and Ash had had to carry on.

He turned to leave. “Good night, Ash,” Blanca said in farewell, and Ash spared a lazy wave over the shoulder.

He wasn’t sure if he could stand more time around Blanca.

-/-

The next morning it was easy to sneak down to Golzine’s office. Just as Blanca had said, Ash had a reputation for not being a morning person, so no one expected him to sneak out that early.

It had simply been a matter of staying up all night. Ash was working on adrenaline.

The palace was eerily silent as he made his way through it. Shadows and panels of orange from the rising sun glared from every corner, and every window boasted a new day. Birds chirped, grass covered in dew, clouds parted and drifted steadily on. Ash walked lightly, not just so he wouldn’t get caught, but because he feared disturbing the ethereal morning atmosphere. 

Ash was reluctant to turn down the hall that would take him further into the palace, where no windows boasted of a beautiful day and only candles lit the way. It was always far too dark in the wing where Golzine kept his office. Ash knew it was for intimidation. It was why his receiving hall was there too.

It wouldn’t intimidate Blanca, Ash knew. It didn’t intimidate him anymore either. Ash had been there for too long. Golzine himself barely intimidated Ash. He just wanted him dead.

There was no way he could do that without getting himself killed while in this castle. Sometimes, Ash considered it anyway.

Ash padded further up the corridor, nearing two coats of armor which flanked the receiving hallway. As he approached the office on the other side, he heard voices and ducked behind one of the coats of armor. There was Blanca, being led by a guard to Golzine’s office. Blanca saw him immediately, to no surprise, and caught his eye as he passed. He did not say a word.

Once the guard had dropped Blanca at the entrance and left, Ash approached the doorway. He could hear them faintly through it, but the wood was thick to prevent eavesdropping. Damn it.

But Ash hadn’t scoured this castle when he was younger for nothing. He knew all its secrets.

He just hoped he was still small enough to fit through the air ducts.

Quickly, Ash crept his way back to the receiving hall, running to the back and opening up one of the ducts. Crawling through, he could already tell it was going to be a bitch to get out of, but continued on. The trip was a short one to get to the grate next door.

“-a boy, somewhere in the kingdom. I believe he is in the city, as I saw him in the square, but he could have moved on by now,” Golzine’s voice carried through, and Ash was already repulsed. Golzine was looking for another boy? But why bring Blanca in for that?

“Why is it that you want him dead, your majesty?” Blanca asked, and Ash’s heart sunk. Oh, that would be why. Golzine didn’t want the boy as one of  _ his boys _ . He wanted him dead. He wanted some boy in the city dead. Why?

“He has gotten in the way of something very important to me,” Golzine answered simply. Ash’s eyes narrowed. What was he being so vague for?

“My apologies, your majesty, but I am going to need more information than what you have given me. I cannot hunt down a ‘boy with black hair, Asian features, plain looks’. That is a lot more people in your capital than you might believe,” Blanca said, and sounded as though he had been reading from something. Ash scooted a little closer, careful not to make a noise. Sitting in Blanca’s lap was a folder, but the contents were indeed sparse. It was laughable, really, the post-it note piece of information which it contained.

“I cannot give you a photo because I do not have it. But I can show you him. You will have to memorize the face you see,” Golzine said. Blanca nodded.

Then, Golzine turned and pulled a sheet from the wall. Ash’s mouth ran dry at the sight of the gigantic mirror which encompassed the entirety of the wall above the fireplace. He had seen that mirror before; in his dreams, in his nightmares. That mirror was the reason he was trapped, why he could never escape for long.

“You wanted to know why, right?” Golzine asked. Blanca nodded silently, watching with interest. Ash watched too, fighting back the bile in his throat. “Show me the fairest in my land,” Golzine commanded, and, suddenly, panic rose to Ash’s head.

_ Shit. I’ll be caught. They’ll see me. How did Golzine know? Or maybe he doesn’t- Maybe he’s checking on me because I’ve been getting out so often lately. It’s coming back to bite me. I’ve been getting too cocky. Now he’ll know I’m here, that I’m listening in, and punishment will be much worse than simply locking me in a tower. _

But, through Ash’s haze of panic, he noticed something. The mirror, rippling and changing… did not show him.

“This is why,” Blanca said, understanding in his voice. He seemed to understand a lot more than Ash did.

_ Why is that not me? It’s always been me. Why is it not now? _

And, for a millisecond, happiness rose in Ash’s stomach, a disbelieving kind of excitement that convinced him, for such a short time, that this could mean freedom. That, if he wasn’t the fairest in the land, Golzine would let him go.

It didn’t take long for reality to set in.

“Once he is out of the picture, I will have the fairest in the land again,” Golzine stated. So simply put that one would think he was referring to shewing away a pesky fly. That he wasn’t hiring a huntsman to murder some innocent guy just because he threatened the position of ‘fairest in the land’.

A new wave of revulsion went through Ash for Dino Golzine. He was surprised that the man was still able to shock him, after everything. After it all, he could still do something that took Ash aback.

“And there is no name?” Blanca asked. “No other information?”

“This is why I called for you,” Golzine explained. “It won’t be difficult for a man of your caliber, will it?”

“No,” Blanca shook his head. “Merely asking. I will kill this boy for you.”

That brought Ash back to his senses, and he knew what he had to do. He couldn’t let Blanca kill some innocent like this. 

His eyes darted back to the mirror, taking in the sight of the boy again, ready to carry out his own little operation. He would find him first. He had to.

As soon as his eyes laid back on the mirror’s surface, though, Ash froze. His breath stopped when he took the image in. The short boy, the one who had flown. Raven hair, dark eyes, a quiet intensity and the memory of a hand reaching out for him, beckoning him to freedom.

The nameless boy from the square.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! See you in the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash tries to find the boy before Blanca can get his hands on him. Eiji has a pleasant conversation with a very tall man.

“Ibe, the blacksmith’s toward the edge of town, right?”

“Just follow the main road until you see the sign,” Ibe instructed, following Eiji toward the door. “It’s easy to find.”

“Okay, I’ll be back in a little bit,” Eiji said in farewell, taking up an empty satchel from the hook by the door. If the shop really was as easy to find as Ibe said, then it would only take about an hour to get there and back, picking up the materials Ibe had ordered a few days ago so they could get started on their work.

Setting foot outside the motel, Eiji looked about, taking in the constant hustle and bustle of the crowds around. Then, he readjusted the strap across his shoulder and set about down the street, counting his steps to pass the time.

Soon, the count of his steps fell to the back of his mind without his noticing. Instead, his mind wandered to the events of the previous day.

He had been in the market, Ibe having just left back to the motel, when one of the king’s knights had approached him, not looking too happy at all. Eiji was never really sure what he had done to piss the guy off, but he would never forget the look of the boy who had saved him.

Standing, protected, behind him, Eiji had first noticed his hair, as bright as the strong yellow beams of the sun on a midsummer’s day. When the knight had referred to him as ‘your highness’ though, Eiji had had to do a double take.

Before him had stood the prince. Funnily enough, Eiji hadn’t been in awe in the least. He hadn’t felt the urge to stoop or pay his respects, though he felt very grateful for the help the prince had been granting him. The boy who stood in front of him looked so normal. Other than his most obvious beauty, one would think he was just another passerby.

Then, they had been running and any thought had abandoned him. The wind whipped in his face and, though he should have been terrified, Eiji had been elated. His legs exerted, his smile widening, Eiji had felt alive. Winding through alleys and roads and people and crates and stalls, Eiji could only keep his eyes on the boy before him.

Who looked very serious for a boy of his age. True, they were being chased down by guards, but Eiji had more to fear from that. They wouldn’t hurt the prince.

They would take him back to the castle, which the prince had apparently sneaked out of for some reason. Eiji wondered why-

Until there was a dead-end blocking their way and the prince paced in front of him, looking frustrated. Eiji had taken one look around and come up with a plan.

_ Don’t think don’t think don’t think _ he had, ironically, thought to himself.

If he thought about it, he would change his mind.

He picked up one of the bamboo chutes. It was flimsy and, if he did a single thing wrong, he would most likely snap it, puncturing his own chest with the swing. But Eiji knew, somewhere inside him, he could do it.

He whispered something to himself - some sort of encouragement that not even he could make out - then ran, fingers tingling, lungs alive. Eiji landed on the roof with a harsh exhalation of air, but, other than that, intact. It was surprising.

Eiji didn’t waste time on it, heading back to the edge and reaching down.

But the prince had refused. He had called himself Ash and refused and Eiji had ran away.

Like Eiji was so good at doing these days.

Back in the sun of the midday, walking up the street to the blacksmith’s, Eiji noticed a palace guard minding the street and discreetly ducked his head. He didn’t know if anyone was searching for him, if anyone had gotten a good look at his face other than that one guard, Arthur, but it was better to stay on the downlow for now.

He went back to counting his steps so he wouldn’t dwell on his own cowardice. Yesterday, that boy, Ash, had shown him kindness, but Eiji had only returned it with fleeing. Ash had told him to go, yes, but that he should not have obeyed, even if for a prince. Eiji would never have the opportunity to make up for that, either. It was luck that had him with the prince that day, and it was a luck Eiji surely would never experience again.

Eiji messed with the strap at his shoulder again, making a habit out of it, then pulled at the sleeves of his shirt. He had not expected it to be so hot of a day.

He was nearing the edge of town and the crowds were dwindling. Many of the shops over there looked to be idle, shops which people frequented less than a daily market like the one in the square. He and Ibe needed some metal fixtures for camera repair, though, as one of theirs had taken a beaten during travel. It would be a simple fix; just the hoop at the base had snapped, where the strap would hold.

The blacksmith’s building was worn and dark, with a large, metal, rusty sign hanging above the door engraved with the shop owner’s name and business. In stark contrast, the building’s backyard was grassy and lively with wildflowers and busy insects, extending for hills and meadows until the forest far off. The blacksmith’s was truly at the very edge of town.

Eiji smiled at the beautiful fields, then slipped into the shop, making quick business of procuring the fixtures and leaving. He turned to the field again, feeling drawn, pulled. It truly was beautiful, and it reminded him a little of home, of the garden by the shrine closest to his house.

It was with different flowers, and without the stone steps and white paper ribbons and fox statues, but with just a strong enough taste of home that Eiji felt his feet carry him closer.

He had known this would happen before he'd even gone into the shop. He hadn't expected the bittersweet smell of full grass, coming rain, foreign flora. Eiji couldn't tell if the bittersweetness came from how similar or different it all was. He missed his home, yet the thought of it made an anxious bubble swell in his chest.

Crouching down, Eiji brushed his fingers over the smooth petal of one of the strange flowers, breathing in its delicate scent. It was white, petals curving out, curling down, many long stems from the middle, capped with purple. He'd seen this one in a book before. What was it called again?

“That one is an Easter Lily,” a voice behind him explained, causing Eiji to jump and twist around. He was still crouched down, but now he was looking at a man, taller than the hills they stood before. The man stepped forward, blocking the sun, and casting his features in a convenient shadow. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. Can I help you up?”

The man extended a hand towards him and Eiji only took a moment to stare, too shocked to fully process what was going on, before accepting the offering and allowing him to hoist Eiji to his feet. It was terribly easy, he noticed, that Eiji had only pulled in the slightest to help. This man could haul him like a sack of potatoes. 

After helping him up, the man retracted his hands immediately; politely, but carefully. Eiji could still barely make out his features, since the man was so tall that standing had done nothing for the angle of the sun.. Eiji ran his fingers over the strap of his bag again nervously, nodding upward and trying to shield his own face from the sun with his free hand.

“Thank you…” he began, but lead off once he realized he did not know the man’s name.

“Blanca,” the man provided helpfully, and Eiji beamed.

“Thank you so much, mister Blanca!” he said cheerfully. “I am Eiji.”

This Blanca nodded before turning back to the flowers. Eiji could see his face a fair bit better. He had dark eyebrows and a wide forehead, but a soft, inviting face. His eyes ran among the flowers at their feet, light contemplation in them. He was so unassuming that it only made Eiji examine him more. Before he could figure out why, though, the man was redirecting his attention.

“Were you planning on collecting some flowers?” he asked, and Eiji blinked, turning back to them as well. He regarded them carefully. That didn’t sound like a bad idea.

“Flowers might brighten up the place,” Eiji thought aloud, picturing the bareness of the motel. It wasn’t very inspiring, especially for a couple of photographers living there.

“White lilies may not bring a lot of color, though,” Blanca pointed out.

Eiji bit his lip, eyes automatically looking out across the field for the various wildflowers littering it. He hadn’t planned on taking longer than an hour away, since he and Ibe still had plenty to do.

But the lilies most certainly didn’t belong to the unchecked growth of tall grasses and wildflowers outside of town. Most likely, they were kept up by someone nearby. It would be rude for Eiji to pick flowers so close to town.

“Ibe might appreciate some wildflowers,” Eiji decided, trailing his hand down the strap of his bag, forcing himself to stop fidgeting with it. He turned to Blanca. “Thank you, sir.”

Blanca tipped his hat. “It is no trouble at all. I am here to pick some for my wife, as it were.”

“Really?” Eiji asked, smiling softly. It was sweet hearing about things like this. “Does she have a favorite?”

“Red poppies,” a smile appeared on Blanca’s face too, and it reminded Eiji of the scent of the field. Bittersweet. There must have been a story behind the flowers, but Eiji wouldn’t be rude and pry. Instead, he began to walk forward.

“Are there poppies near here?” he asked, eyeing some of the red flowers around.

“Yes, there is a patch that typically grows near the forest,” came the reply, and Blanca began to walk with him. Eiji’s brows shot up.

“That is so far!” he exclaimed.

Blanca only nodded, eyes on the edge of the forest. “She is worth it.”

That softened Eiji’s surprise, and his heart felt very happy for the couple then. He gave the man an encouraging smile and a nod. “Then I will help you.”

This seemed to take the man aback. “Do you not have somewhere to be?” But Eiji was already shaking his head.

“My boss will understand,” he said. “And I can get my own flowers on the way.”

“You do not have to come the whole way,” the man said, brows furrowing in doubt. “Please do not go out of your way.”

“I would like to meet more people from town anyway,” Eiji shrugged. “Do you live close by?”

Blanca was silent for a second before shaking his head. “Closer to the market,” he answered, and Eiji nodded his head. He fired off a few more questions, receiving easy answers for each. Blanca continued to walk leisurely, eyes on the clouds as they passed and a reminiscent look to his eyes. He seemed relaxed, but not carefree, Eiji observed. Almost… sad, in a sense.

It was a funny look for someone who seemed so in love, the kind of in love that wasn’t giddy or buoyant, but one that he seemed to have carried for as long as he could remember. One that would outlast years and lifetimes. Eiji had never seen emotions like that so close, but he found it was impossible to mistake once he had seen it.

He continued to talk with the man for a while before he realized that each of his replies came out rather bland, unbothered, lacking in great detail or enthusiasm. It was around this time that Eiji started to think he had overstepped his welcome in the man’s presence. 

They had reached the first wide patch of wildflowers, these ranging in colors from yellow to red to purple. Eiji stooped down and plucked a few, fidgeting with their stems while he thought of the best way he could leave the man alone. 

Blanca’s bittersweet look had reminded Eiji so much of his own mixed feelings at being in this kingdom that he had felt a sort of solidarity to the man, and some part of Eiji wanted to help him somehow for it. Eiji felt like he could trust the man, after witnessing the love and adoration which he regarded his wife. And Eiji was curious about the stories that weighed heavy in the man’s eyes, and he had never quite been able to control his curiosity.

He had always been too stubborn; too eager.

However, as his thoughts came in around him, a practice which had been altogether too much of an occurrence these days, but which he had a tricky time identifying, if Eiji were honest, Blanca interrupted his thoughts.

“This is very kind of you,” he said, and it sounded like something he had been contemplating. Eiji stood from collecting and they continued on their way. Eiji furrowed his brow, looking inquisitive, and Blanca seemed to take this as a question. “Why did you come with me?”

Eiji shrugged, continuing his pace. Blanca walked beside him, but he was no longer watching the clouds, something far away in his look. He was watching Eiji, waiting for an answer. Eiji hadn’t really wanted to give one. Because he had always been too truthful for his own good.

“You had a bittersweet look on your face,” Eiji replied, feeling quite silly at the admission. Then, he let himself voice the question which had been brewing at the back of his mind for a while now. “Is your wife dead, mister?”

Blanca’s eyes shot wide, but the expression did not last for long. He looked resigned as his gaze went back to the horizon. “Yes,” he replied, and Eiji’s heart grew sad. He was silent for a moment, before saying… saying what he could.

“I’m sorry.”

It wasn’t enough. Of course it wasn’t. But Blanca nodded and they lapsed into silence.

They made it to the next hill before one of them spoke up again. Surprisingly, it was Blanca.

“That is why you came with me then?” he asked. “You were curious if my wife was dead.”

Eiji bit at his lip, watching his feet as he walked. Again, he played with the strap of his bag. It was a horrible nervous tick. “I wasn’t sure why you looked so bittersweet until I began asking you questions,” Eiji said, letting out a soft, humorless laugh. “I didn’t mean to grill you. I’ve been told I’m too curious and won’t shut up.”

Blanca nodded, not bringing his eyes back to him. His hands weren't fidgety like Eiji’s. In fact, they had been in his pockets the whole time, of a large trench coat. It was a strange ensemble in the spring, but the weather was unpredictable, and the wind strong. Eiji was starting to wish he had a jacket with him.

“But, you know,” Eiji continued, and Blanca turned back, “It must be lonely, collecting flowers out here. Do you do it often?”

“Not as often as I should,” Blanca replied.

Eiji nodded, but didn’t say anything. They were nearing the edge of the forest, and Eiji could see a great patch of red flowers. They must be the poppies. Eiji would pick some too, to remember this. “Here we are,” Eiji gestured to the flowers, but, looking beside him, he noticed that Blanca had lagged behind.

“Eiji Okumura,” his voice said from behind him, and Eiji tensed. He hadn’t told Blanca his full name. Slowly, he turned around. Blanca’s hands were out of his pockets.

He was brandishing a gun, one directly pointed at Eiji’s face.

“I have come under order of the king.”

-/-

Ash was skilled at finding people. He knew he would find the boy, with the right sources, with the right questions. Eventually, he would find him.

“You might be talking about Eiji,” he got after a long day of dead ends, and he felt himself breathe. Thank  _ fuck  _ this guy seemed to know something. “I don’t know anything else about the kid, though.”

Ash resisted the urge to groan and bang his head on the table. He thanked the man and stood from his chair, exited the bar as quickly as he could. He tried to regulate his breathing, settle the frustration this whole event had given him. He had a name now. Ash could work with a name.

_ Eiji _ , he thought. So the boy’s name was Eiji.

The capital wasn’t a small town by any measure, but a name sure made things easier. Ash hit up a few more reliable sources, busy stall owners (who looked rather annoyed to be interrupted midday while their wares were out and people were milling about) and street beggars. They were the most likely to have talked to a boy out on the street yesterday. Yet, it wasn’t either that ended up helping Ash in the end, but a man perusing one of the stalls. He heard Ash ask the stallowner about this Eiji.

“Ibe’s assistant, you mean?” the man asked, and Ash’s attention was immediately grabbed. “Eiji and Ibe just moved to town. Looking for photography work?”

“Photography work?” Ash asked, and the man furrowed his brows.

“Yeah, they’re opening a shop,” he said. Ash just nodded his head.

“Yeah, okay, where is that?” Ash asked, hoping this stroke of luck would give him a head in his and Blanca’s race. He couldn’t think what might have happened if Blanca had already found Eiji. Ash refused to believe he could be too late.

“Not open, but they’re still taking commission work from their hotel,” the man replied. “You could tag along if you want, kid.”

“Kid?” Ash protested, but the man laughed at the indignance.

“I’m Max,” he said, holding out his hand. Ash glared at it for a second before turning away, looking toward the streets which branched from the main road, ready to bolt.

“Let’s just go,” he urged.

“Geez,” the man, Max, said, then went to lead him on.

It wasn’t long until they’d arrived at the motel, and, when Max knocked, an older man with a dark beard and a weathered face answered.

“Shunichi!” Max exclaimed, arms raising, but Ash moved to step in front of the man.

“Where’s Eiji?” he asked, and the man drew back.

“I’m sorry?” he replied, eyes going wide and shifting back to Max as if to ask for help.

“The kid was looking for him and I thought I’d help,” Max explained. He looked to be regretting the decision. “Hey, kid, why are you here again?”

“I need to find Eiji. He could be in danger,” he explained, deciding this was the fastest way to get what he wanted in the situation. His urgency seemed to finally wake up the geezers.

“Danger?” the one man, Ibe, asked, looking afraid. Max, on the other hand, stepped forward, gaze determined.

“What sort of danger?”

“It’s a long story,” Ash replied. “I just need to find him. Now.”

“He went to the blacksmith’s about an hour ago,” Ibe explained, looking more and more worried by the minute. And that was saying something because he had gone 0 to 100 really quick after hearing that Eiji could be in danger. “He should be back soon.”

Ash was turning away, looking up the street. “Where’s the blacksmith?”

“At the edge of town,” Ibe replied, gesturing the opposite direction. “Straight down that way.”

Ash was already on the move. He heard the two shout behind him, but didn’t stick around long enough to listen. There were rapid footsteps following, but Ash quickly outran them. He didn’t have time to match their paces.

He didn’t run into Eiji along the way, nor was he in or anywhere around the blacksmith’s shop. Another dead end.

“Damn it,” he cursed, kicking at the dirt path next to the shop. The wind blew and he smelled something sweet, pleasant. When he looked up, he noticed white flowers, dancing in the breeze, waving to him from the end of the lane. The fields outside of town rippled like the ocean as the wind picked up, and Ash used it to calm himself.

Ash had never liked the ocean, though he had grown up close by it. The sea of grass and wildflowers seemed a whole lot more stable, more reliable, than the murky depths of the grey waters off Cape Cod. And it didn’t smell of the salt which stung his eyes. It was gentler.

Then his eyes caught on something toward the edge of the forest and his stomach dropped. His eyes were sharp, and, yeah, it didn’t hurt that Blanca was a humongous person. He could tell who the two standing near the forest were immediately.

As he watched, Blanca pulled something heavy, metallic, from his coat pocket. Eiji, a blot of dark hair and white shirt, turned around and went still. Then, he held his hands up and began to back into the forest, probably following instruction. Blanca followed.

Ash ran.

He left trampled lilies in his wake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was very lazy with editing in this chapter, but i've also gotten a bunch of ideas for this fic on my long commutes home from school. can't wait to write them out. hope you guys liked this and thank you for all your kind comments on the beginning chapter!! i'm really just keyboard smashing every time i think about them hajadkslkjsh


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash races to rescue Eiji, but will he be able to take on the Huntsman?

Eiji and Blanca had already disappeared into the forest, out of sight, as Ash streaked across the field.

He wouldn’t make it in time. He couldn’t. Blanca would shoot Eiji in the forest, out of range of the town, and no one would see; no one would hear. And he certainly wouldn’t wait around long enough for someone to come to Eiji’s rescue.

_ But he doesn’t know I’m coming for him _ , Ash thought, his only solace.  _ The element of surprise here is all I have. _

_ Please wait long enough for me to get there. _

Ash had never beat Blanca in a fight, but he would try. He would try for Eiji’s sake. For the boy who had tried to save him. Who had ran with him, and hadn’t cared that he was the prince. Who had flown, like something free which Ash could never be.

He barely knew Eiji. Ash hadn’t even known his name before this afternoon.

But something was there drawing Ash to him. He just couldn’t let this go.

And he couldn’t let Eiji die for him.

“Stupid,” Ash panted, only losing breath as he ran. “Fairest. Bullshit.”

When Ash reached the edge of the forest, he didn't pause for even a second when he crossed the spot Eiji and Blanca had stood. Where his feet crushed poppies, a strong fragrant scent swirled with the wind around him, but, once he'd darted into the forest, it disappeared. 

Everything disappeared behind him, presenting him a new reality of grey tree trunks, lifeless dirt, and dead leaves; dark shadows and blocked sunlight. It smelled strongly of pine, and something innately nature.

Ash looked about him, stopping in his tracks, but it seemed as though the area was deserted. He breathed for a moment, trying to regain an even pace, but his mind continued to swirl with possibilities.

How was he supposed to know which way they went?

“Damn it!” Ash cursed, then darted further into the forest. He kept his eyes out, ears keen. Blanca would know better than to leave a trace, but Eiji wouldn't. The downside to securing a hostage.

Ash veered his course when he came across a broken twig, hanging limp from its tree. The signs were sparse, but they were there. Hopefully, he was following the right lead.

When he started to hear a low murmur, Ash slowed, his heart leaping into his throat, partially from apprehension, partially triumph. He walked until the sound picked up, then stopped. This would be tricky. Blanca would know right away when Ash got any closer, but if he were to provide a distraction...

His first thought was Eiji. Blanca had his focus on him already, so if Ash could somehow get Eiji to do something, he could possibly sneak up from behind.

But that wouldn't work. For one, Ash would have to be close enough for Eiji to see him, at the very least. He could mime what he intended, but, if Eiji could see him, it was likely Blanca would already have been able to _hear_ _him_ far longer.

And, even if Ash could somehow get Eiji to act as his distraction, so to give him time to blindside Blanca, it was likely it wouldn't even work in the first place. Blanca was a professional, and he was sent there to kill Eiji. They were far enough in the woods now that he didn't have anything else to wait for. 

Blanca could shoot Eiji down this very minute and not lose a thing.

There was one other thing Ash could do. It would be stupid, and could only end one way for Ash himself, but, for Eiji, there was the possibility of escape.

Ash could hold Blanca off long enough that Eiji could run away. Ash would never beat Blanca, but they were an even enough match that he could certainly distract him.

Eiji wouldn't be the distraction, but Ash would.

He would surely be punished for interfering, for helping Eiji get away, for, hell, just being outside the castle  _ again _ . 

Ash couldn’t bring himself to care. It had been a long time since he'd considered his consequences realistically. The castle walls numbed all feeling; there was nothing left for Ash to want from his gilded prison. 

He took one more careful step forward, trying to get a better view, trace out a path for himself to dart in, take Blanca by surprise.

Outside the castle, he felt. He felt a lot, actually. Happy to be away from there. Angry at his imprisonment. Protective, over his boys, over Eiji now.

Hopeful.

Maybe. One day. Free.

He should have known it would never work.

Blanca was a professional, after all, and anything Ash knew, Blanca knew first, and better.

“Ash, I know it’s you,” Blanca’s voice carried through the trees.

Ash froze, not altogether surprised, but disappointed.

And a little bit fearful.

Now, there was no hope for escape.

-/-

Eiji had never seen a gun in person. The situation wasn’t ideal for his first encounter with one, but, then again, he doubted the chances of encountering guns was usually ideal.

The barrel glinted in the sun, shiny and new. It was remarkable how beautiful an instrument of death could appear. He wondered if it really was new. Had this man bought a new one for the occasion? He looked trained with it, so it obviously wasn’t his first one. Then again, how would Eiji know? Maybe this guy was a novice.

No, he wasn’t a novice. Eiji could tell that much. He held the gun with an assurance of one well equipped to do so. He pointed it at another human being without batting an eye. Was Eiji about to die?

_ I’m about to die _ , his brain finally concluded, too calmly. It should have been his first thought when the gun was pointed his way. Internally, he sighed; at the situation, at himself.

“We’re going to go into the cover of the woods. Walk backwards,” Blanca- was that even his name - commanded. It wasn’t a demand, wasn’t harsh or cold, but it left no room for argument. After their talk, Eiji couldn’t quite believe the man was a killer. Now, perhaps, he could. His demeanor hadn’t changed much, and yet…

Eiji, his hands still up, started to walk backwards. Blanca followed until they were under cover, then made him turn around and put his hands on his head instead. They walked further into the woods. It was silent between them, and Eiji didn’t dare to break it.

He wasn’t scared, though. He knew that wasn’t a proper reaction, anyone would be scared to know they were probably about to die. Eiji, however, was peculiar and he knew it. Instead, he felt a well of defiance spurt up in him.

He held his head high; he clenched his fists in his hair. The silence bothered him now. This man didn’t get to dictate him, or how Eiji would go.

“You weren’t lying,” Eiji proclaimed. He heard no reaction from behind him. “You really do pick flowers for your wife, even if that wasn’t why you were out today.”

“How do you say?” Blanca asked, and Eiji was slightly indignant to hear amusement in his voice.

“I can tell when people are sincere,” he said simply, then no more. He said what he had wanted to, and now he would not say what he didn’t want to.

However, it seemed that now Blanca was in a talkative mood. Eiji didn’t feel like he had tricked him or anything - Blanca seemed too smart to get tricked by something like that - but he wasn’t a large threat, and, thus, could be trusted with some of Blanca’s trivialities.

“What I told you was true, yes,” he admitted. Then, after a beat of silence, asked, “You’re a bit trusting, aren’t you?”

“So I’ve been told,” Eiji said, shrugging and focusing on the upturn of his head. He was still a bit miffed at the situation. For a moment, he considered fighting back. His fingers tingled, itching to try, but he frowned at the urge.

“You shouldn’t have wandered off with a stranger,” Blanca said, and, though he knew Blanca couldn’t care less, he got the feeling of Ibe, or one of his parents, scolding him.

“Well, I suppose I am paying for it now,” Eiji scowled. There was a low breath behind him, one that sounded almost like a chuckle. This only boiled his blood more.

They walked further, both in silence. Eiji was steaming for Blanca to say something else, so he could give him a taste of his mind, but Blanca seemed to have read the air. Finally, they stopped in a small clearing. The sun barely shone down from the break in the trees above, and the forest cast an eerie glow. Eiji was going to die like someone in a ghost story, but at gunpoint.

“You can turn back around,” Blanca said, and Eiji, shooting his most menacing glare, did so. At the sight of the gun again, reflecting now off a dark ambiance, a strike of fear finally went through him.

_ I really am going to die. _

“I’m not going to kill you,” Blanca said, contradictorily. Eiji froze.

“I- I’m sorry?” Eiji asked, breath taken away. He blinked his wide eyes up at the man.

“I said I’m not going to kill you. But you have to run. You can’t stay in the kingdom, or the King will find you.”

“Wait, you’re going to let me  _ live _ ?” Eiji watched in disbelief as Blanca lowered the gun. He kept his eyes trained on it, like they were magnetized, before snapping back up to the man as he spoke.

“Yes,” he said simply.

“But… why?” Eiji asked. Blanca’s gaze was steady and concealed. Eiji was excellent at reading people though. There was something there that the huntsman was purposefully hiding.

“It should not matter why, it should only matter that you get to live. You should be grateful, Eiji Okumura.”

Eiji scrunched his nose, ears finding the Western ordering of his name awkward. Still, he did not want to drop it. 

That’s when Blanca’s eyes darted toward the forest where they had just emerged from. Had he heard something? Was there something even more dangerous coming for them?

Great, Eiji had  _ just  _ gotten out of  _ this  _ one.

“Ash, I know it’s you,” Blanca said. Eiji’s breath caught and his eyes darted to where Blanca was looking, straining to see. He couldn’t; it was too dark. Nor could he hear what Blanca must have.

Then, there he was. Stepping forward out of the dim light of the trees, Ash arrived with his hands in fists. There was no sight of anything else to defend him.

Eiji was sure the prince was well and capable and all... but that seemed like a very dumb move. Blanca had a gun, after all.

“I’m not going to let you hurt him,” Ash said, and Eiji’s heart leapt a bit. The world stood still for a moment, like the entire forest was holding its breath for them. Then, Ash’s eyes darted to the gun at Blanca’s side and grew confused.

“And I’m not going to,” Blanca said, tucking the gun back into his coat. “As I was just telling Eiji here.”

Ash’s eyes darted, at the gun, at Blanca. He looked just as confused as Eiji felt. Then, he sprang forward.

Eiji wasn’t exactly sure what he’d been trying to do, but Blanca caught him easily, parrying him away with a rather tired look. “Sloppy,” he said, holding Ash’s wrist in a large hand. Ash snarled, trying to wrench it out. The prince did not look very impressive in that moment, though Eiji admired his fight. It was something Eiji couldn’t even bring himself to do, even with his advantages.

Ash went to hit Blanca with his other hand, and it got captured too.

“Why are you letting me go?” Eiji asked, concerned with the tussle going on before him. He wanted to distract Blanca, so maybe at least Ash could get free. Blanca, though, merely looked at him.

“Let’s just say, I don’t think you deserve to die.”

“Bullshit!” Ash spat. “You’ve killed plenty of people who didn’t deserve it.”

Blanca turned his attention back to Ash. “While that is true, I am not lying. I really will not kill Eiji.”

Ash narrowed his eyes, then opened his mouth, looking about to spit some choice cursing and/or arguing back at him. However, he quickly dropped when Blanca released his hands, unexpectedly to the ground.

Blanca turned back to Eiji. “I am letting you go, but the King still wants you dead. You cannot squander this chance I am giving you. Leave the kingdom, Eiji Okumura, and never come back.”

_ Leave the kingdom? _ Eiji thought, a pit forming in his stomach. “And go where?” he asked, a bit breathless. A fear grew in him, far greater than the tickle in his heart when he had finally realized he was going to die.

“Anywhere. Home, back to where you came from. You’ll be safe once out of the King’s reach.”

_ Home _ .

Eiji’s throat went dry. Words were not necessary, however, because Ash was stood up again, placing himself between Eiji and Blanca. “I don’t believe you. This is some trick. You never go against orders.”

Blanca sighed at this, closing his eyes for a brief moment, a show of vulnerability Eiji did not expect out of him. Maybe he allowed himself that because he knew, even with a moment off guard, Blanca would be able to disarm either of them in less than a second. “I am retiring, Ash.”

“What?” Ash asked, evidently confused.

“Retiring. I won’t be the Huntsman anymore. It’s about time I hung up my coat on this one.”

“And what the hell does that have to do with Eiji?”

“It means that, in a short time, I will no longer be under King Golzine’s employment, or rule. I’m going somewhere faraway,” Blanca said.

“Golzine will never let you leave after he finds out you let him go.”

“I will be long gone by the time he does,” Blanca shrugged. “And Eiji will be long out of the kingdom. His mirror does not reach outside the borders.”

“I don’t know how to navigate this country, though,” Eiji protested, eyes bouncing back and forth between the two as they argued.

“Which is why Ash will need to escort you.”

“What?” Eiji exclaimed, eyes darting to the prince. Ash did not look opposed, though he still scrutinized Blanca in suspicion.

Blanca seemed to have noticed this too. Again, he sighed. “You have no choice but to trust me here, Ash.”

“You’ve never cared before,” Ash said, shaking his head. “Never. Why now?”

“I have my reasons,” Blanca said. “Now, are you going to help this boy?”

Ash’s face snapped to irritation, probably at the avoidance again. Eiji had to admit, with all that Blanca didn’t want to give his reasons, it only sparked his curiosity. Ash turned to Eiji, walking closer. “How much time do I have to get him to the border?”

“I can give you perhaps a day. Maybe until tomorrow evening. No later,” Blanca said. “The King expects this job to be a quick one.”

“But-” Eiji tried, mind racing. All he could think of was  _ home _ . Ash faced Blanca again.

“Deal.”

He shut his mouth with a snap. His protest was futile anyway. What would he even say? That he’d rather die?

He wouldn’t. It may have been frightening, but Eiji had come to value his life again.

“Then hurry out of here,” Blanca said, and everything seemed to spin around in Eiji’s head. 

“Gladly.” Ash turned back to him and grabbed his hand, tugging him out of the clearing, in the other direction. They weren’t going back to the kingdom. Of course. Eiji could never go back to the kingdom.

_ Why? _ He thought.  _ Why is this happening? _

“And, Eiji,” Blanca said. Eiji’s feet stopped. He felt on autopilot, turning back to see Blanca considering him carefully. Blanca stepped forward, all the way until he was once again before him. Eiji looked up at the towering man. He took his hand and, in it, he placed something small, something delicate. Eiji didn’t dare look down. Blanca gave him a lasting look, contemplative and resolute, then nodded, turning away.

No more words were exchanged. And Ash tugged him out of the clearing.

In the palm of his hand, Eiji held on to the single red poppy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stupid Fairest Bullshit is officially the alternative name for this fic. Thanks, you guys, for patiently waiting and for all your lovely comments! Next time we'll get to see a few new faces. Hope you liked the chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash has a home in the woods. Some new faces appear.

Eiji started at a stumble, but their pace quickly grew into a run. Just like the day they had first met, Ash was pulling him away from danger at a speed Eiji couldn’t have matched if he wasn’t quite athletic himself.

They had been running for so long that Eiji believed they would never stop. Until they did, and he almost ran head first into the prince.

Halting just in time, Eiji attempted to right himself, wheeling his arms through the air so he wouldn’t be forced to use the prince for balance. When Ash turned around, however, he set out an arm to steady him.

He looked annoyed. Great, Eiji had clearly messed up.

“Why the hell did you go out all that way with Blanca?” he demanded, frowning down at Eiji. “Do you have no self preservation at all?”

Eiji frowned. “You do not have to be so rude! I never asked for your help. And he was going to let me go anyway.”

“And what if he hadn't?” the prince asked. “You would be dead. Just trust a random stranger, walk into the woods - seems logical.”

“Aren't  _ you _ a random stranger?” Eiji inquired, crossing his arms and watching Ash with narrowed eyes. 

“My point exactly,” Ash countered.

“You helped me,” Eiji said. “In the town, when that knight was bullying me.”

“You barely know me.”

“I know enough,” Eiji said, but Ash turned away. He started to walk, and Eiji followed after.

“We're almost there,” he said, dropping the conversation. Eiji cocked his head to the side.

“Almost where?” he asked, then stopped in his tracks. “The border?”

But Ash shook his head. “We won't make it there before dark. There's somewhere we can stop for the night, though.”

Eiji bit his lip, pushing thoughts of the border to the back of his mind - thoughts of going home. He continued to follow after Ash. “Where?”

Ash turned, making eye contact.

“My place,” he said, and kept walking, leaving the rest of their journey to silence.

-/-

“You have a home…” Eiji said as they approached. “In the middle of the woods.”

Ash nodded without turning. He didn't want to see the look on Eiji's face.

“It's the only place Golzine wouldn't look. Plus, there aren’t a whole lot of clues, even if he looked through his mirror.”

“So, this house - it’s safe?” Eiji asked apprehensively. Ash almost laughed. Maybe the guy did have some self preservation.

“Yeah, as safe as anywhere in the border will be.”

“Then maybe I don’t need to leave the kingdom of I stay here?” Eiji asked, voice full of hope, and Ash's conception of his self-preservation remained.

“What? Why would you want to stay?” he asked, stopping to stare at him. Eiji blinked innocently up at Ash.

“My mentor, I can't just leave him,” Eiji explained. “And New York was supposed to be my new home. I can't go back.” 

“Your life is literally at stake here,” Ash said, feeling his frustration build. “There is no question; you have to go back.”

At this, Eiji stuck his nose up, walking past Ash. “I do not  _ have _ to do anything.” 

“So, you'd rather die,” Ash ground out, following after to the door of the tiny cottage.

“I thought you said it was safe here,” Eiji said.

Ash shook his head. “Not indefinitely! Nothing is permanent inside the kingdom, and he's determined to find you. Trust me; once he decides on something, he won't give up until it’s his.” They stopped in front of the door to the cottage, and Ash sighed, running a hand across his face. “We'll drop this for now, but you're leaving tomorrow. Understood?”

Eiji shrugged, so Ash dropped his hand, rolling his shoulders to get rid of some of their tension. This guy might turn out to be the death of him.

Instead of waiting for a reply, or arguing further, Ash reached out and knocked, a deliberate series of raps and taps that let the occupant know it was him. It didn't take long for the door to crack open.

“Ash!” Skip exclaimed, opening the door wider. “Is everything okay? It isn't Saturday yet.”

Ash just nodded, pushing open the door past Skipper and walking in, Eiji in tow. “Everything's fine. We just needed a place to hang low for the night.”

“Oh!” Skip said, nodding. “Who's this guy?” he asked, jerking a head in Eiji's direction.

Before Ash could speak up, Eiji stepped forward and stuck out his hand, shaking Skipper's and introducing himself. “I’m Eiji!” he said brightly, and an instant smile bloomed on Skip's face.

“Skipper, but the guys call me Skip,” he replied. “Whatcha doing hanging around the boss here?”

“Oh, well…” Eiji started, scratching the back of his head and looking unsure. Ash stepped in.

“Golzine's after him,” he explained. “I'm getting him to the border, where he'll be safe and can go back home.” This last part he said with a pointed look in Eiji’s direction.

“ _ Golzine's _ after him?” Skip asked, eyes widening, and he looked back at Eiji, now sizing him up. “You must be tougher than you look. Whatcha do?”

Ash was growing tired of this conversation. He really didn’t want to go over the whole ‘fairest of them all’ bullshit again. He brushed by, collapsing on the couch. “It’s a long story, Skip,” he said, setting a hand to his eyes. Exhaustion crept up on him, like it tended to when he got to the cottage. It was the only goddamn place he felt safe.

There was shuffling around him. “Okay,” Skip said. He was a good kid. He’d catch him up on everything later. “Can I get you guys anything then? You look exhausted.”

“Nope,” Ash said simply. There was a pause, then Eiji’s flustered voice spoke up.

“Oh, no thank you,” Eiji said quickly, shaking his head. “But if there’s anything I can help with? It’s the least I can do for letting me stay here…”

“We don’t really do much around here,” Skip responded, and Ash relaxed. He’d take care of Eiji. “I might make a big soup for everyone later though.”

“Everyone?” Eiji asked. Ash peaked out from behind his hand to see him standing awkwardly, not at the door anymore, but barely into the living area.

“Well, they’re not here  _ now _ ,” Skip said, as if this were obvious. He turned, making his way into the next room. “Wanna help decide on the soup?”

“Sure,” Eiji agreed brightly, and, without another word, they made their way into the kitchen. Ash nodded to himself, understanding Eiji to be in good hands.

Then he sighed and swung his legs off the couch once more, standing to make his way towards the stairs.

Sleep would have to come later. First, Ash would have to check on everything upstairs.

-/-

After Eiji and Skip decided on the ingredients, they made the soup to let simmer for the approaching evening, warming the cooling cottage from the chilly night air. When they were all finished, watching the thick soup (it might have been more of a chowder) bubble over the stovetop, Eiji began to feel the weight of his muscles and the tightness of his bones, locking up and telling him now was the time for rest. He had been on his feet practically all day and he was starting to feel its effects.

Making his way into the living room, Eiji noticed that the couch was abandoned, and Ash had disappeared somewhere. A small tug at the back of his chest was afraid he had left him there, gone back to the kingdom. He was the prince after all, and he would surely be missed. It made sense; Eiji should have expected it, but it still unsettled him.

Forcing himself forward, Eiji took the couch. All thoughts of Ash abandoned him when his limbs rejoiced in their relaxation. Eiji let out a gust of air, slipping into sleep immediately. If he laid perfectly still like this, kept his eyes closed and mind clear, maybe he would fall asleep and this all would have been a dream. Except, a part of him didn’t want that. He wasn’t sure why, and he was too sleepy to figure it out.

_ Bang- _

Eiji startled awake, jumping to his feet as adrenaline forced his limbs back into motion. The front door had flown open, bouncing against the wall and, from what Eiji could tell, deepening an existing hole there. Standing in the doorframe was someone tall, with dark sunglasses, though it was already dusk, and a lively purple mohawk. Eiji stared openly before coming to his senses. Then, he put out his hands, as if they could do anything to protect him.

“Sing, you owe me twenty bronze ones!” the man yelled into the house. Skip ran out, frowning.

“Shorter, the boss is asleep!” he scolded, looking unafraid of the man, who Eiji just now realized also had a  _ piercing in his eyebrow _ . Eiji watched with wide eyes.

This ‘Shorter’ didn’t seem to care. “Have you seen Sing?” he asked, coming in and kicking the door closed behind him. Skip looked irritated at the second repercussion. Eiji hadn’t known him long, but he could tell Skip’s irritation was too mature for his age, with one eyebrow raised and arms folded on his chest.

“No, he’s not here,” Skip replied and, when Shorter deflated, lessened up. Skip sighed, rolled his eyes, and uncrossed his arms, smirking at the man. “We’ve got a guest,” he remarked, looking over Shorter’s shoulder as best as he could at his height. Shorter, finally realizing there was another person in the room, not of their usual suspects, turned.

“Oh,” he said, then laughed to himself, scratching the back of his neck. Shorter stepped forward, holding out a hand. “Sorry about that. Who’re you?”

Eiji didn’t remark on how rude it was to demand his identity instead of first providing his own. He was the one intruding, afterall, so he simply took Shorter’s hand and shook. “Eiji Okumura,” he replied.

“Shorter,” the guy introduced himself, but then he was back to demanding answers in that casual way of his. “What’re you doing here, Eiji?”

“Um,” Eiji said, mind stopping in its tracks. His explanation ran through like a train-  _ I was almost killed by someone sent by the king probably because I helped the prince run away from the royal guards the other day and now I’m supposed to go back to my home kingdom but that won’t work because I’m running away and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to go back. How can I run away from two kingdoms? Should I search out the one on the other side of New York instead? I doubt I could make it and even if I did where would I go? What would I do? This was supposed to be my new life. I can’t just leave! _ \- and wouldn’t stop until a spout of dizziness came over him. It probably didn’t help that his legs were starting to ache again. He wasn’t in shape like he used to be.

Before he knew it, Eiji was swaying on his feet, almost crashing to the floor before two steady arms held him on both sides. Slowly, he was eased down to the couch. “Woah,” Shorter’s voice floated through his ears, but Eiji’s vision had gone sort of blurry, and he couldn’t quite understand what was happening. The moment passed though, and he looked up at the two concerned faces hovering above him. 

“Eiji! Are you alright?” Skip asked.

“Take it easy there, man,” Shorter said, his voice laced with worry.

Eiji shook it off. He was more tired than he thought. “Sorry,” he said, looking between them both. “It’s just been a long day.”

“Don’t apologize for that,” another voice floated in, and Eiji wasn’t sure if he’d heard right. His brows furrowed, and he looked again between Skip and Shorter before it connected that neither of them had spoken. His head lifted toward the sound. Ash was walking into the room. 

“Ash,” Eiji said, startled. He’d half-convinced himself that Ash had left, but there he was. He had only gone to another room. Why was Eiji so relieved about that?

“Come on,” Ash said, approaching him and holding out a hand. “You need rest. You can take Shorter’s bed.”

Shorter made a noise, but didn’t protest. Eiji took the offered hand, standing up. He felt a whole lot sturdier but wouldn’t turn down the opportunity for some sleep.

But, naturally, his mind flooded with ideas of why he shouldn’t. It would be rude to take someone else’s bed; he was intruding enough already. Plus, there was the soup. He had been helping Skip with that. There was always so much to do. 

“I’m fine now,” Eiji reassured, slipping his hand from Ash’s. Ash looked at him doubtfully, then placed a hand on his back and continued leading away. Eiji, mind a bit wired, could only think to follow. Ash led him up to a room where there were a couple beds and sleeping bags spread out. He brought him to one of the beds.

“Get some sleep,” he said. Eiji shook his head but sat down anyway. It felt nice.

His mind wandered back to his thought from earlier.  _ What if this is all a dream? _

Eiji wouldn’t have to leave the kingdom. He could make his home at the studio with Ibe, hone his craft, maybe find his happiness again. But…

Eiji looked up at Ash with tired eyes. “We’ve got a long trip in the morning,” he said, and Eiji felt himself go still. He didn’t want to leave.

After that, Ash left him to his own devices, probably assuming he would sleep if left alone. He didn’t know Eiji very well.

Eiji slipped down to the floor, back to the bed’s frame and knees pulled close to his chest. He examined the room, with its old-looking beds and crumpled sleeping bags in the corners, and not a single one of them made. If he were allowed to stay, he could help with that. He could be useful.

He couldn’t go back to Izumo.

And he couldn’t go to sleep. Not with his mind buzzing like this. Not with the looming threat of tomorrow.

But it was impossible to fight it for long. In the end, Eiji fell asleep there: head against the mattress and legs tangled on the floor.

-/-

Everyone trickled in little by little, as they did every night. Bones and Kong walked in, talking and laughing, and headed straight for the kitchen. Alex immediately spotted Ash, coming over to inquire why he was back so soon and report in. Sing walked through the door and Shorter started yelling about how he’d won some bet, which began Sing’s pouting for the evening.

As everyone grew steadily louder, Ash became more and more aware of the (hopefully) sleeping man upstairs and called them to attention.

“We’ve got a guest,” he began, and he could see the curiosity spark in their eyes. “I expect you all to be respectful. And to keep it down because he’s asleep.”

If Shorter and Skip didn’t know about Eiji already, he was sure they would have come straight up to ask him about this “guest.” As it was, none of the others did. As curious as they seemed, Kong and Bones only whispered amongst themselves, and Sing leaned in to ask Shorter. Ash had already updated Alex on the matter, so he simply continued ladling soup into a bowl.

Ash, deciding to let them all gossip as they pleased, walked out of the room. Remembering Eiji’s stubborn resistance to sleep, Ash headed toward the bedroom. The guy had been so tired; Ash was sure he would have fallen asleep by now, but, if by chance he really was uncomfortable sleeping in a strange house, Ash wanted to see what he could do.

It would make quite a trip tomorrow if he had to haul some sleep-deprived guy along with him. Would they even make it like that to the border in a day? Ash wasn’t too keen on setting up camp halfway. 

But, for some reason, he wasn’t keen on saying goodbye tomorrow either.

Ash stepped in front of the bedroom door and shook the thought from mind. Now wasn’t the time to second guess himself. Eiji  _ had  _ to go. It not only put him in danger, but all of them. If Golzine’s men found this place, then his boys could get in trouble; for harboring Eiji, for harboring  _ him _ .

Eiji would cross back into the kingdom of Izumo. He would be safe. Ash’s boys would be safe, and the prince would go back to the palace.

There would never be a happy ending for him, but Ash had accepted that long ago.  _ This  _ was the happiest he could find. This place where his friends were safe, where he could escape the palace if only for a while, a place where  _ he  _ was safe.

Ash looked down the hallway, to the only other door there. Then, turning back, he knocked lightly on the one he stood before.

When there was no answer, Ash pushed it open slowly, wincing at the slight creak it made and hoping it wasn’t enough to wake Eiji. Ash stepped into the room and looked toward the bed, frowning.

“What the-” he swore under his breath. Ash stepped forward, trying to get a better view and, yeah, Eiji was sleeping. Beside the bed. He shook his head. “Why’d you do that, you idiot?” he whispered, stepping closer and looking down at how perfectly peaceful Eiji would have looked if not for the uncomfortable position.

Ash sighed. Stepping forward, he crouched down, facing Eiji, and reached out. About an inch from his shoulder, Ash hesitated, looking to the man’s serene face. Ash blew out another breath, then shook Eiji lightly, just enough for him to wake. Eiji’s brows furrowed and his eyelids fluttered, dark lashes batting against his cheeks. When he looked at Ash, it was with confusion.

“Could you stand up for a second?” Ash asked in a hushed tone. Eiji frowned, evidently unhappy with being woken.

“What?” he asked. It looked like all meaning had passed through one ear and out the next. Ash felt an amused smirk make its way to his lips.

“You’re sleeping on the floor,” Ash explained. Eiji mumbled something, but he didn’t catch what. “Can I help you up?” he asked, but Eiji was nodding off again. “Hey hey hey,” Ash said, and, at this point, with anyone else Ash would have given up in frustration. Instead, he actually found it funny watching Eiji struggle to stay awake, and Ash’s chest felt warm. “Come on. Get up, you lazy butt.”

“I’m not the lazy butt,” Eiji said, eyeing Ash with a pout. At least the eyes were open.

“Can I help you up?” Ash asked again, choosing to ignore Eiji’s words and focus on the task again. Eiji watched him for a moment before nodding silently. Ash stood up and held out a hand.

Eiji looked at it, but didn’t hesitate to take the offering. Ash reveled for a moment in the premise of not being who he was--the prince, who everyone either feared or pitied. When Ash pulled Eiji up, the man whined but let himself be lifted. Ash wished Eiji would have helped a bit more in the process, but he still looked too tired to function. As soon as he was up, he collapsed back onto the bed.

Eiji sighed the most content sound Ash had ever heard. “Yay,” he mumbled, curling into the bedding. Ash felt that warmth in his chest grow and stepped back.

“Ok, well…” he said, suddenly unsure of what to say or how to act. He looked toward the door and back. In that brief second, Eiji had closed his eyes, breathing slowed. The weight on Ash’s chest lifted, but the warmth only expanded, creating a confusing mixture. “Good night, Eiji,” he said, though he wouldn’t be able to hear.

Ash walked to the door and opened it again, wanting it cursed for its creak, even if it didn’t disturb Eiji. He looked over his shoulder one last time before leaving the room.

When he walked down the hallway, Ash’s head wouldn’t quiet. He entered his room, made sure the door was securely closed, and walked to his bed. “Hey, Griff,” he waved as he stepped by the wheelchair. His brother didn’t answer.

Ash collapsed on top of his own bed, staring at the ceiling.

He remembered Eiji’s hand taking his without hesitation. He remembered Eiji’s hand reaching for him from the low rooftop, hopes of freedom, salvation. A part of him wilted, remembering that Eiji would be gone by tomorrow.

But he would live. At least this way Eiji would live.

-/-

Blanca walked into the king’s office, and there Golzine stood, back facing him. He spoke immediately, standing tense, but voice even.

“You failed,” Golzine said. These words did not affect Blanca--outwardly, at least. He spoke back just as evenly.

“I have not,” he said, reassuring the king. Golzine turned to him, eyes narrowing.

“Mirror, show me the fairest in the land,” he instructed, and the surface glimmered until it showed a figure in a dim room, sleeping peacefully in a bed. It was undoubtedly the boy from that afternoon. “He lives,” Golzine said. Blanca shook his head.

“For now, your majesty,” he lied. “Locating him has been more difficult than I thought, but it will not be long now.”

Golzine watched him for a beat, as if waiting to call him out. Blanca was an excellent liar--it was all a part of the job--but, after working so long for the king, Golzine knew it should not have taken him more than a day for this assignment. It also meant Blanca had the benefit of the doubt. He has never let the king down before.

“Do it quickly,” Golzine finally said, turning away to wave the sleeping face from the mirror. Blanca knew this was a dismissal. “You are aware I hate to be kept waiting.”

Blanca bowed, deeply, then backed toward the door. “Of course, your majesty.”

As he was escorted to his rooms, Blanca wished Ash and Eiji well, and a fast trip out of the kingdom.

The quicker Eiji disappeared from that mirror’s reach, and Ash arrived home, everything could go back to as it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no update, huh? I wonder if anyone still wants to read this haha. If you do, thanks for waiting so patiently! If not, well you're probably not reading this and I don't blame you. I have no plans on updating any faster and I'm really sorry about that. I'm just kinda doing this one as it comes. Hope you liked it and thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lovely morning in the cottage and an attempt for the border.

Eiji woke up to a dark room, the makeshift curtains over the windows blocking all light that threatened to break through. He was laying on a bed — unexpected because he had fallen asleep on the floor — with the steady sounds of breathing around him. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he looked around, noticing all the beds and sleeping bags were full.

Eiji sat up, sighing quietly at the content, rested feeling in his bones. Silently, he swung his legs off the bed, stepped to the door, and out into the hallway. The rest of the house was similarly lit, cast in shadows, but with vague morning light shining through. No one seemed awake. His stomach, however, contrasted the still and silent house, reminding him he had skipped dinner last night.

When he made it to the kitchen, he noticed it was a lot lighter in there since no one had bothered to pull the curtains. He made his way around, inspecting what he couldn’t yesterday in the company of Skip and the task of dinner. It felt awkward at first, looking through another’s cabinets without permission, but he soon began collecting items from the shelves and fridge in abundance. If the amount of people he had spotted sleeping upstairs was anything to go off, there would be many mouths to feed.

Eiji hadn’t realized how many people lived in the little cottage. The amount of soup he and Skip had made last night had been plenty, but Eiji had not thought truly of it until that morning. Who were all these people? What did they even do, living in the woods, so far away from anything else?

This was the perfect opportunity, Eiji realized. Not only did he want to thank them all for letting him stay the night, but, perhaps if he were to appeal to the others of the household, they could convince Ash to let him stay longer. Eiji could talk to Skip and to that other man, Shorter.

With that in mind, Eiji threw himself into making the biggest breakfast he ever had, equipped with about a dozen eggs, a large pan, and a wooden spoon. He didn’t know a lot of recipes — especially those kinds suited for the kingdom they were in — and the house didn’t keep a lot of ingredients in stock either. Eggs were simple, though, and would feed a lot of people. The only thing he had to worry about was burning them.

Eiji hummed as he worked, whisking the eggs and stirring them into the heated pan. Looking out the window, he admired what he couldn’t yesterday, in their run from the kingdom, then the busy evening inside. There were so many bright greens in the clearing around the cottage and dark verdant of the treetops. There were blue birds hopping about, searching for the morning worm, and the sun was further overhead than he had thought. The angle it streamed in through the windows made it seem like it was still dusk when it was actually mid-morning.

He only came back to himself when he heard someone enter the kitchen. He turned to take in the sight of a boy at least a foot shorter than himself, still rubbing his eyes from sleep. He shuffled to the fridge, not even sparing Eiji a glance and pulled out a jug of milk, moving to the cupboard for a glass. Eiji continued watching, pushing around eggs absently while the boy poured his milk, replaced the jug, and went to the table in the corner to sip at it. After a long draw at the drink, the boy frowned, looking down into the glass, before his eyes slowly crept up, just now realizing someone else was, in fact, there in the kitchen.

The boy made a startled noise, slamming his glass down, and Eiji watched as white droplets skittered across the tabletop. He smiled cheerily, waving with the spatula in his hand. “Hi! Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

The boy, eyes impossibly wide, was most definitely awake now as he stammered, “No, no! Sorry, I didn’t- I mean-” He snapped his mouth shut, probably realizing he wasn’t saying much that made sense. Eiji held himself back from chuckling, not wanting to make the boy self conscious. He smiled encouragingly before turning back to the eggs.

“Are you hungry? I made  _ so many _ eggs,” Eiji remarked, already scooping some onto two plates. He moved the pan to another eye, turning the hot one off and walking the plates to the table. There, he placed one in front of the boy and sat across from him with his own. “I’m Eiji,” he introduced himself, stabbing at some egg and popping the fork into his mouth. He did pretty well with these.

When he looked back up, the boy was still staring at him openly, mystified. He blushed and ducked his head, picking up his own fork and pushing around at his eggs. “Name’s Sing,” he mumbled, then bit his lip, stabbing at some egg.

“It’s nice to meet you, Sing,” Eiji said easily. They lapsed into silence, but Eiji refused to let it feel awkward. He continued to eat his breakfast steadily. Sing picked at his eggs as well, eyes flickering up to look at Eiji when he didn’t think he was watching. Eiji looked out the window, pretending not to notice.

“Shorter says you’re on the run,” Sing blurted and, surprised, Eiji looked up. Sing was obviously embarrassed by the outburst, but he didn’t retract the question, watching on with burning curiosity.

Eiji nodded. “I am,” he said simply. He had finished his eggs during their silence and now stood, collecting his plate to take to the sink. He heated the stove again, placing the pan on the correct eye to make sure they didn’t go all stiff and old.

“Does that mean you’re sticking with us?” Sing asked. Eiji paused.

He bit at his lip, and didn’t take his eyes from the reheating eggs. “It is complicated.”

“What do you mean-” Sing started to ask, but, thankfully, that was when Skip showed up, leaping into the kitchen already asking about the smell of eggs. Eiji laughs, relieved to be away from the topic, and served Skip breakfast, quickly kept busy by the arrival of a handful of others.

A number of people crowded around the small, round kitchen table, digging into their eggs like it was the best thing they'd had in a year. Many of them talked to him, asking obvious questions like who he was and why he was there. Then they moved on to more trivial things like how had he cooked these eggs and if he's ever fished because a couple of them were going to the stream today and he could come with if he wanted-

Strangely, Eiji felt immediately at home among them. It was easy to talk to them, and leaning against the counter, watching them laugh amongst themselves, throw bits of egg around and talk about their plans for the day, was a comfortable sort of existence. 

“Feeling better today?” a voice asked from behind him, and Eiji jumped. Across the counter, the man with the purple hair stood, looking very amused at his surprise. Eiji rolled his eyes.

“Thank you, Shorter. I feel a lot better now that my heart has almost jumped from my chest,” he said sarcastically.

Shorter's brows raised along with the corners of his lips, widening into a large smile. “I have that effect on people,” he said, evidently teasing.

“You get no eggs,” Eiji decided, and Shorter’s eyes fell to the pan, its contents significantly deplenished since the horde had arrived.

“Let’s not be hasty,” Shorter said, placatingly. Eiji smirked, cocking his head to the side.

“Oh? You should have thought about that before scaring me,” Eiji said while Shorter shook his head.

“Eiji, nooooo,” he whined, laying across the counter now and looking up, his eyes slightly visible above his sunglasses. They were pleading. Eiji let out a sigh, making sure it was nice and long and suffering, before turning to plate some eggs. Shorter sat up, cheering.

As he scooped the eggs, a thought entered Eiji’s mind and he slowed his movements, thinking. It was getting late into the morning, almost afternoon now, yet Ash was nowhere to be seen. On the one hand, if he did not see Ash until later in the day, it would be impossible to get to the border on time and he would be able to stay another day. On the other, he was starting to worry.

He handed the plate to Shorter, who boosted himself to the counter and started eating. Eiji frowned, but didn’t say anything about it, instead chewing over the question stewing in his head.

“Shorter?” he asked. Shorter hummed, mouth full of egg. “Have you seen Ash?”

“Not today. He’s probably still asleep.” Shorter answered, mouth still full. “Guy can sleep through a hurricane, I swear. Well, if the hurricane didn’t pose a threat. Which it would. Maybe a hurricane isn’t the best example…”

“But he is okay?” Eiji asked, cutting through Shorter’s tangent. Shorter focused back in.

“Oh,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about him, even if he isn’t here. Ash can take care of himself. You guys are supposed to go to the border today, though, right? He wouldn’t have left without you.”

A gross taste touched his tongue at the words. “Why do you all stay here?” he asked.

“Good a place as any,” Shorter shrugged.

“But it’s so far from anywhere,” Eiji argued.

“Exactly,” Shorter said, and Eiji frowned, confused. “We were a bunch of street kids before we just decided, why be street kids where they can all stare and judge when we can be forest kids? The guards don’t bother us out here; no one bothers us.”

“So, you all packed up and moved into the woods?” Eiji asked, astonished. It sounded like a fairy tale. 

“Well, Ash already had this place,” Shorter shrugged. Eiji’s eyes widened, but, before he could inquire why the  _ prince  _ would have a random cottage in the woods, he was surprised by another voice, yet again. He jumped. “God, Eiji, you’re jumpy,” Shorter laughed, but Ash was frowning at the reaction. Eiji scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

“Sorry, I swear it’s not you,” he said. At that, Ash gave him a weird look, but turned away before Eiji could figure it out.

“We need to leave soon,” was all the prince said, watching those around the table start to collect their plates. Eiji’s heart sank, and he turned to the stove for a distraction.

“I made everyone breakfast,” he said. “It is no longer fresh, but there is still some left.”

Ash shook his head, turning back. “No time. We won’t get to the border before evening at this rate.”

Eiji frowned. “You shouldn’t be coming back in the dark.”

“I can take care of myself,” Ash said, an echo to Shorter’s words just five minutes before. “We should worry about where you’ll be going once we reach the border. We need to find a town where you can stay.”

“We can save a lot of work if you would let me stay here,” Eiji remarked, scraping the old eggs into the bin and turning to the sink. Bones and Skip were already standing there, though, and Skip easily plucked the dishes from his hands.

“We’ve got that,” he said with a smile. “Thanks for breakfast, Eiji!”

Eiji smiled back, saying it was no problem at all, but his hands felt empty. Without the distraction, he was forced to turn back to Ash, who was frowning at him.

“That’s not happening.”

“What?” Shorter asked, sounding put out and surprised at once. “Why not? Eiji’s awesome; I’m sure we can find room for him.”

Eiji remembered he had taken Shorter’s bed last night and guilt crept in, but he stayed silent, watching Ash shake his head, turning to Shorter. “He can’t. It’s dangerous for him. It’s dangerous for us.”

With that, there seemed to be no room to argue, though how badly Eiji wanted to. Ash turned, giving Eiji quick instructions to be ready in half an hour, before leaving the room. Eiji watched the door with a frown.

“That’s bullshit,” Shorter cursed, but without any real heat. He sounded frustrated, but also like it wasn’t directed at Ash — more the situation. To Eiji, he said, “Sorry, man,” but Eiji shook his head, flashing a smile that couldn’t quite reach his eyes.

Thirty minutes went by and Eiji left in Ash’s wake, waving one last goodbye to the people he had only known less than a day. He felt sad to leave. 

And he felt scared to get to the border.

-/-

They hiked in the forest for a long time. It felt like a much larger distance than yesterday, just reaching the other side of this small patch of wood, but, then again, they weren’t running this time. In part, this made it more enjoyable.

They emerged on the opposite side of the woods, far away from the side with the kingdom’s capital and the poppy flowers and Eiji’s appointed death. Here, they stopped for lunch, since Ash had not eaten anything all day, and they had no clue when another ideal resting place would come by. 

Sitting under one of the larger trees that faced the wide fields, the distance gone for miles in any direction without indication of landmark or city, they peeled their packs from their backs and dug through them for food. Many of the items were prepackaged, the kinds that one could only find in brightly colored capital stores, and most Eiji didn’t even know the name of. Ash ripped into one, pulling out stiff looking pieces of- Eiji wasn’t sure.

“Jerky,” Ash explained. “You’ve never had jerky?”

“It looks gross,” Eiji said, wrinkling his nose at the strips. Ash rolled his eyes and held the package out.

“Try one.”

He immediately grabbed one, curious and, though he had been truthful when he said they looked gross, not cautious in the least. He looked over the piece before biting it.

“Not good?” Ash asked, because Eiji’s face must have looked quite perplexed. He shook his head.

“Weird,” he said truthfully. “But not bad.”

“Like Shorter,” Ash said sagely, nodding his head as if he understood completely. This had Eiji bursting into laughter, bending over at the waist. Ash had a slight smirk on his face as he watched.

“I’m telling him you said that!” Eiji proclaimed, regretting it a second after. He blushed and turned away, looking toward the horizon and the long distance they still had to travel. Ash had fallen silent as well.

After a few moments, Ash eventually spoke up. “I’m sorry you have to leave your friend,” he said, and he sounded genuine. Eiji just shrugged.

“Will you send back word to Ibe?” he asked, appearing as if he were talking to the field. “Just so he doesn’t worry. He does that enough already.”

“Sure,” Ash said, and Eiji felt one of his many worries lift from his shoulders. Eiji turned back to him, tilting his head in thought.

“Can I ask a question?”

“You can ask,” Ash said, but at Eiji’s frown, he sighed. “Sure, shoot.”

“I still don’t understand why your father wants me dead?”

Ash’s eyes went wide, and Eiji immediately knew he had said something wrong. He opened his mouth to backtrack a bit, but Ash beat him to it, with a firm, “Golzine is  _ not  _ my father.”

“Oh,” Eiji said, colored a bit surprised. “I’m sorry. I just assumed- because you’re, you know-”

“Stop apologizing all the damn time,” Ash said, but he was rolling his eyes, not looking put off at all by it, or the misconception. “And, yeah, I’m the  _ prince _ ,” he said, spitting out the word like it was poisonous. “Adopted though. That bastard’s no blood of mine.”

"How long ago were you adopted?" Eiji asked, trying to go for safer lines of questioning. Maybe he should just drop the topic altogether.

"A while now," Ash huffed, picking out another piece of jerky but not eating it. "He saw me in that mirror and grabbed me immediately. I was living on the streets, but I would have rather starved."

Eiji could sense something dark there, something that no one should go poking at with a stick, or a twelve inch pole. He had been caught up on something though. "Mirror?" he asked. Hadn't Blanca mentioned a mirror too? 

Ash sighed, sitting back and stuffing the jerky back in its packaging, and shoving that back in his pack. Eiji watched, wandering if he had said the wrong thing again. But he didn't jump to apologizing just yet. Something told him he had to wait, be patient. 

"He's got this mirror. It's magic and, basically, it can show him whatever he asks, as long as it's in the reach of his kingdom. He can ask to see people by name, or he can request them by title. 'Fairest' is one of those titles, something he picked up a while back from some magician." Ash's voice was level, bored, but his severe frown told another story. Then, disgust creeped in. "He likes rare things. Only the best."

"And that is you?" Eiji asked. "The 'fairest'?"

"Not right now, no," Ash shook his head. "That would be you. Hence, why he's pissed."

Blanca had mentioned something like that, but, no, that couldn't be right. "I cannot be fairest," he said, almost laughing at the idea. It was still a bit too surreal for Eiji to be truly humored by it though. "I am too plain. Could it be that he used the mirror wrong?"

But Ash was looking at him like he'd sprung an extra head. Eiji paused.

"What?"

"Nothing," Ash said, turning away. "Whether you believe it or not," he said, and sounded a bit incredulous, "It's you. And, since he likes having the best, he wants you gone."

"So you will be the fairest again," Eiji said, feeling like he was understanding now. All except the part where  _ he  _ was apparently someone special to this whole scheme. "But, if you do not like him, why go back?"

Ash gave a dark laugh, and something in Eiji’s gut sank. Not fear, no; some sort of sadness. “It’s hard to escape the king in his own kingdom, Eiji,” Ash answered. Then, they fell silent.

Eiji thought about what it must have been like, a boy alone on the streets — maybe he was afraid, maybe he had given up hope. Then, one day, someone approaching him to take him to the king, and the king saying he would adopt him. Eiji could only imagine he had felt hope in that moment, wished for a better life, thought he had finally caught a break.

But palace life must not have been anything Ash had thought it would be, any solace he had hoped for. A king who treated him like a possession, who willingly ordered the death of an innocent man because of the silly title a mirror had given him. It was obvious Ash hated him, and Eiji couldn’t imagine what else Ash had seen all those years behind those castle walls.

“Ash?” Eiji asked, but, suddenly, the atmosphere shifted. He was met with a harsh ‘shh!’, and, when he glanced up again to look questioningly over, he noticed that Ash was now standing, looking back into the woods. His hand was on his gun.

Then, there it was — voices. They were coming from the woods, not too far away. Ash’s shoulders tightened further, and he looked back.

“We’re going back,” he said, voice low, and Eiji’s eyes widened.

“But-” Eiji said. Ash shook his head.

“They’ll see us if we go into the field. The forest is our only cover.”

“Who are they?” Eiji asked, gathering his things and following Ash back into the shadow of the trees. Ash was frowning. Eiji found that he missed his smile.

“The king’s guards,” he said, and how he knew Eiji didn’t know, but he believed him. “I don’t know why they’re out here. They shouldn’t be looking for you. Blanca said he could give us time.”

Suddenly, a voice sounded near them, and Eiji nearly jumped a mile, squeaking. Ash hadn’t moved a muscle, but Eiji could tell he was listening closely. “He couldn’t have made it very far. Just keep looking!” the voice yelled, and he sounded irritated. Eiji recognized that voice. It was the guard who had been harassing him in the market square.

And he was definitely looking for  _ him _ .

“How did they know?” Eiji asked, voice no louder than a whisper. Ash placed a finger to his lips.

Then, everything went to hell.

Someone stepped out of the brush and spotted them immediately, an unnamed soldier, whose eyes went wide and hand went to his belt. Ash was faster though, tackling the guy and knocking him out without a sound. It was enough, though. Another soldier called out, “What was that?” and Ash’s head snapped up.

“Run!” he commanded, voice still low, but urgent. He leapt to his feet and grabbed Eiji’s hand.

With shouts sounding behind them, they rushed off into the trees.

-/-

“Your highness?” a voice asked from behind Golzine. Golzine could not turn, could not move, lest his temper get out of hand again. He must come across as a composed king; the alternative was to show weakness.

“Have you brought the huntsman?” he asked instead, continuing to watch the mirror and the running figures beyond it. He could feel something hot under his collar as he watched the two figures, hand-in-hand. He wanted answers.

“We could not find him, your highness,” the guard replied, and Golzine froze. He could not stop himself from turning this time, but he did so slowly, calmly, with barely concealed tension under his skin. As his eyes fell to the soldier, the man visibly gulped.

“What do you mean you cannot find him?” the king asked, voice even and sharp. There was the subtlest gasp from the soldier as he watched in fear. Golzine dared him to speak with his eyes, and the man did. It was both a very good and very bad decision. His king demanded answers.

It was too bad the guard did not have the answers he had hoped for.

“The huntsman is gone, you highness,” he said, voice shaking ever so slightly. Golzine’s lungs ceased, his nostrils flared. 

“I do not want to see your face again until you’ve found him,” Golzine warned, eyes narrowing. “Dismissed.”

The man scrambled out of there. Golzine turned back to the mirror.

“So you’ve decided to betray me,” he said, watching the mirror ripple back into its reflective surface. “I always somehow knew it would be for his sake.”

He tried spelling the image of Blanca into the mirror. Unsurprisingly, he could not. He did not have the man’s real name. Then, he called in another attendant.

“Yes, your highness?”

“I would like to draft a letter,” he said, and the man pulled out a pen and paper in a flash. Golzine thought for a long moment, considering his options, then nodded. Turning away from the mirror at last, he commanded the man.

“Address it to the Lees.”

-/-

Even when they thought they had lost them, Ash and Eiji didn’t stop running until they arrived back at the cottage. Barreling into the place, Ash slammed the door behind them as they both doubled up in the hallway to catch their breath. Ash swore under his breath, cursing himself more than anything.

Immediately, those still in the house for the day descended upon them.

“Boss, what’s the matter?” Skip exclaimed, rushing into the hallway and looking between them with wide eyes. Sing ran up behind him, stopping in the doorway, as Skip walked over to put a hand on Eiji’s back. “Yo, you alright there?”

Eiji gasped a little, nodding his head but unable to get much else out. Ash straightened up, still out of breath, but trying to shake himself. “Guards. In the wood,” he attempted to explain through gasps of breath. Slowly, it felt as though the burn in his lungs was subsiding, but trying to talk through it wasn’t helping.

“Guards?” Sing asked, brows furrowed severely. “Why the hell are guards all the way out here?”

“For Eiji,” Ash said, leaning back against the wall. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes. Certainly he couldn’t be this out of shape.

Sing’s brows jumped up, eyes widening. “How did they know to look here?” 

“Blanca must have ratted us out,” Ash said, practically fuming, then, suddenly, he paused. They all noticed.

“Boss?” Skip asked, but Ash was frowning, mumbling to himself.

“Unless…” his eyes widened, and he swore. “I’m an idiot!”

He was storming into the kitchen. They all followed.

“What’s going on, Ash?” Sing asked, sounding on edge. Skip looked at the ready, while Eiji, trailing toward the back, just looked worried. Ash shook his head.

“His mirror. Of course he would check after Blanca. Of course he’d want to keep an eye on Eiji,” Ash exclaimed, pacing. “The moment he saw me with Eiji he would have known something was up. He could have seen us in the woods and figured out we were on the run. It isn’t a far stretch, since these woods are the closest to a border.”

“But, what does this mean now?” Eiji finally spoke up, and Ash stopped his pacing, looking over at the man. Eiji looked concerned, but it was an outward gesture, worried more for Ash than for himself — himself, who was currently being hunted down by the king’s best men. It was new for Ash, having someone so selflessly, idiotically, worried for his sake, and he wasn’t sure how to react towards it. It was warm, but where warmth may provide comfort, where Eiji’s soft expressions might foster care, it prickled at Ash’s skin uncomfortably.

Ash didn’t know how to deal with it, but he also didn’t want to move away.

He had to ignore it. For the sake of keeping his head. Ash turned to pace the room again, letting go of a low, frustrated sigh. He shook his head.

“It looks like you’ll be getting what you wanted, Eiji,” and Ash’s chest warmed at the thought. He beat it back down, knowing it was the wrong thing to feel — knowing this was the worst course of action, a last resort.

“You’ll be staying with us for a while.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And hello! How are you all doing here? If you're still reading, thanks! If not, I understand. Updates on this one sure are rocky. I got a comment the other day that reminded me I had some more to give y'all, so here I am. While I still really like this fic, I am quite busy with life stuff and other fic stuff, so updates will still be slow.
> 
> I don't consider this one of my better chapters. I wrote it so long ago, so when I went to edit it it was quite painful. However, I am too lazy to rewrite it, so I just did the best I could with what I had and we're moving on! Hope you all like it, and, as always, thank you to everyone who reads and leaves kudos and comments! You're awesome.


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